This isn't because of the good prices it's because I have never caught a cat and I really want to next year. I have a few spots where land owners are seeing cats and I wanted to know what is the trap you guys would pick if you were targeting cats and needed to buy traps? Looking at both footholds and cages

I love my MB550 os

Duke 650’s are a fine cat trap that are ready to go right out of the box.

I too love my MB550's, a great trap for many different critters including cats. Bridger #2's if your on a budget.

They aren't hard to hold, nor are they hard on equipment. The main reason guys use larger and/or stronger traps for them are to provide a larger target area and to combat freeze/thaw. If you aren't dealing with freeze/thaw I'd use whatever you have available.

We get a lot of freeze thaw here in Missouri. I don’t mind buying good traps. I want good stuff my sons and hopefully some day grandkids can use

UI like me some MB 550's for cats and coyotes

Put some Wind River trap pans on them when you decide, larger pans are great for cats.

Well looks like i need some more 550's then. Or some 650's for a little more area. Thank you everyone for the help

For you that use 550's
Do use use the stock pan or create a larger one?

Briger 3 dogless or no bs k9 extreme

I use stock pans but just installed larger pans on a few of mine to try out next season.

X2

Do you trap coyote and fox also?The MB 550 is the best all around trap being made for canines and felines......If your mainly trapping coyotes and bobcat no fox,I'd go with a #3 sized foothold,like the No BS or Bridger full mod,I mainly run MJ 600 Sterlings for bobcat and coyote because I have quite a few of them,for the price the NoBS are excellent and built like a tank....Good luck next year,the Jake footholds is also another great bobcat and coyote foothold,but costly like the Sterlings.I'm sure the Duke 650 is a good trap for both,but I do not own any of them.

Thought the rule was the biggest your State allows. For me it’s MB550’s. Bobcats aren’t hard to catch. Caught them in 450’s, 550’s, and cage traps. The 450’s and cages were set for coons/possums and cats clog up the sets. Make sure when you’re done skinning to collect the urine. 95% of the cats I catch have a full bladder. Even when using the urine I keep up about 2 pints every year.

Do you guys leave the duke 650 4 coiled?

Bridger twos and threes here.
Jim

I've never used a Duke 650, but I would see no reason to take coils off. I've caught bobcats in bigger wolf traps than that and turned them loose, absolutely no foot damage. I've never seen foot damage on a bobcat, (although I've taken a couple with hounds that were missing a toe or two, in areas where guys were cat trapping) they just don't fight a trap that way.

I use Duke 650 often and there is some foot damage but I think it’s minimal. I release females and kittens.Very curious how many trappers use a 650 2coiled.

I use them 4 coiled.No need to 2 coil them in my opinion.

I caught 100s of cats In SC and all I used were Duke 1.75s

I use the Duke 650's and have reduced them down to 2 coiled. The traps are plenty strong. Mine are also inside laminated, but I am running them for a different purpose than most.

I have caught them in the Duke 450’s all the way up to the Duke 650’s, I have left my 650’s four coiled. I used to use Victor #3 two coiled and caught a lot of cats.

wws

I use my Duke 650s for Beaver, Bobcat, Coyote, and Otter. I leave them 4 coiled because of that, but for cats, they certainly don't need to be.

Sounds like we need to get some 650’s guys. Thank you

Interesting…. so what are you using them for Carolina Foxer?

…. I use Bridget 2 dogless 4 coiled for cat and coyote

… but I would go 3 Bridger dogless 4 coiled if I was just after one or two

… I’ve had enough toe catches in the 2 to almost make me retool

.. I do like the smaller footprint when bedding a lot of traps though

… I ain’t Carolina Foxer … and if I had any manners I likely wouldn’t try to speak for him

… but imagine he’s a live market hand

I use mb550s 2 coil. I bought a dozen duke 550s. I've caught cats and a pile of coyotes in both. I haven't had a bit of trouble from the dukes. I've put the wild river pans on 5 dozen of them then painted the pans with that texture paint. I leave cat traps open. Really like the wild river pans.

You imagine correctly

Bridger 2 or 3 dogless and take the offset down to 1/8". Big pan already on them

I use the MB 650 IL/OL trap cause it's what I use for coyotes and something's we have heavy snows up here. But, a 650 size trap isn't really needed..

If I get a cat tag for next year, I have a couple of #3Ns that Hammer converted to dogless, I may have a fancy to use them with a drag.

I guess the only 2 reasons I prefer the MB 550,
1- its what I'm use too & love
2- within the last couple of years they changed the law to if there is an incidental grizzly catch (outside of wolf season) the trapper has 48 hrs upon notification to pull all traps that have an inside opening greater than 6 inches.
So I figure might as well use traps that I can leave out even if there's an incidental grizzly catch.
Just my way of thinking..